Electrical socket



April 22, 1947. K. M. McLAUGHLIN ELECTRICAL SOCKET Filed Dec. 31, 1942 3nunior KenneTH mmLnueHun @p/ww lllllllllllllll u.

Patented Apr. 22,1947

ELECTRICAL SOCKET Kenneth M. McLaughlin, Summit, N. J assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application December 31, 1942, Serlal No. 470,735

6'Claims. .(Cl. 173-328) v My invention relates to electrical sockets, particularly to sockets adapted for radio tubes and the like. v

The object of my invention is an improved socket which is strong, simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and is adapted for easy assembly with its supporting chassis.

, The male element with which my novel socket is particularly adapted is the type having a plurality of relatively long and slender contact pins circularly arranged on a base. One embodiment of my socket comprises an insulating disc which carries circularly arranged female contactors, and a sheet metal annulus, U-shaped in cross section, with two coaxial spaced cylinders joined at their upper ends by an integral ring, the inner cylinder being coaxial with but slightly larger than the circle of contact pins. Hence the pins are guided over the socket contactors while they are rotated to the proper position for insertion.

The outer cylinder extends downwardly beyond the lower end of the inner cylinder and may be formed inwardly to hold the insulating disc in place.

The characteristic features of my invention are defined in the appended claims and preferred embodiments thereof are described in the following specification and shown in the 'accompanying drawing in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show longitudinal sectional views of my improved socket and its relation to a typical radio tube base;

2 in the bottom disc. Notches' in the edges of the discs may be used to rotationally orient the discs with each other and with a supporting metal annulus hereinafter more-iully described.

The body portion of the socket, which holds the insulating discs and is fixed in the chassis of the equipment using the radio tube, comprises an annulus 8, having a metal cylinder 8a. joined at its upper end to an inwardly extending integral ring 8b. Anv inner cylinder 80 may, if desired, be extended downwardly from the inner I edge of the ring- 8b as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 so that the annulus, in cross section, is

' substantially U-shaped. The discs are rigidly Figure 3 is a top view of the socket shown in Figures 1 and 2;

for carrying the socket contactors, and,

- Figure 6 is another socket embodying my invention.

The male element chosen for illustration with my socket is a typical radio tube comprising an envelope I closed at its lower end with a glass base or header 2 carrying contact pins 3, the pins being parallel and circularly arranged in the header about a central tipped-off exhaust tube 4. The socket'contactors 5 are carried in the usual manner on a thin disc, web or sheet 1 of strong fibrous insulating material. The contactors may comprise strips of metal with punched out holes 5a in registry with the holes la of the insulating disc 1, and may conveniently be clamped in place by a second disc or web 6 having holes 6a aligned with the punched holes of the contactors. The contactor strips preferably extend radially outward and pass downwardly through apertures lb held in place in the sheet metal annulus by inwardly rolling, spinning or die pressing the sheet metal stock of the outer cylinder So over the peripheral edge portions of the discs 6 and I.

The inner diameter of the metal ring 8b, and of the inner cylinder, if used, is only slightly greater than the diameter of the circle of the contact pins of the male element so that the ends of the pins may be inserted into the socket and freely rotated. If desired, the ends of the contact pins may be held out of contact with thethe pins can be inserted only when the base is v in the proper rotational position over the socket. This shoulder slides smoothly along the top surface of the metal ring 8b as the tube base and pins are rotated until the shoulder drops into the keyway lid in the metal ring, whereupon the tube base may be-pressed home; becomes a slot when inner cylinder is employed. Alternatively, the projection may comprise the outwardly bent end lii of one of the pins as shown in Figure 2. If desired, a tubular metal shield ll may be centrally mounted in the socket and provided with a side arm l2 for contacting the indexing or locating pin to electrostatically shield the socket contactors and base pins. Elongated holes 61) and lb in the insulating disc accommodate the sidearm I! an receive the indexing pin.

The horizontal radially extending ring portion 8b of the annulus may be so proportioned in size that the rim of the tube base comes to rest upon its upper surface as shown in Figure 6. Alternatively, the ring portion may be provided with an upwardly extending fold teas shown in Figures 1 and 2 and adapted to fit inside the envelope arid bear against the glass header. The bottom of annulus 8 may be flanged around the chassis base as at 8!.

Rivets, bolts and other fastening means for The keyway outer cylinder is passed downwardly through a lower rim 8f of the outer cylinder is folded outwardly to rigidly anchor the socket in place.

My improved socket body is conveniently and inexpensively made by die drawing the U-shaped annulus and its various folds from thin sheet metal. Cold drawn sheet iron .015 to .025 inch thick may be drawn into socket bodies having an overall diameter of about one inch with relatively light punch presses. Progressive punches are particularly adapted for automatically drawing the socket bodies of my invention. The continuity of the metal portions of the socket from the metal chassis to the rim of the envelope insures effective shielding of the base plus and socket contactors from outsideelectrical disturbances.

I claim:

1. An electrical socket for contact members comprising a sheet metal cylinder, an insulating disc extending transversely across one end of the cylinder and secured to the walls thereof, female contactors for said member arranged in a circle and carried by said disc, the other end of the cylinder being formed inwardly into a metal ring spaced from said disc, the inner pe-' ripheral portion of said ring being coaxial with and sufficiently larger in diameter than the circle of contactors carried on said disc to produce clearance for said members while maintaining substantial alignment of said members in the circle of said contactors.

2. In an electrical socket for contact members a sheet metal annulus comprising a metal cylinder, an insulating disc in said cylinder extending across the lower end of the cylinder, said cylinder being formed inwardly over the top and bottom peripheral portions of said disc to secure said disc in said cylinder, said disc having a se-,

. ries of holes arranged in a circle coaxial with said cylinder, and female contactors for said members in line with said holes, the upper end of said cylinder being formed inwardly into an integral ring with the inner rim coaxial with the cylinder and sufliciently large to produce clearance for said members while maintaining substantial alignment of said members in the circle of said contactors. l

3. An electrical socket for contact members comprising a drawn sheet metal cylinder having at one end an integral in-turned flange, an insulating disc in said cylinder extending across the cylinder parallel to said flange, the wall of said cylinder at circumferential points spaced from said flange being crimped over the peripheral portions of said insulating disc to rigidly secure the disc in the cylinder spaced from said fiange,ja plurality of femal socket contactors for said members arranged in a circle coaxial with and substantially smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of said flange.

4. An electrical socket comprising a drawn sheet metal cylinder, said cylinder being reversely :bent to telescope inside the upper end thereof and thenbent to form an in-turned flange, said flange extending radially of, and substantially normal to, the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, whereby the'fold in the cylinder extends upwardly above the surface of the flange, an insulating web across the lower end of the cylinder, and contactorscarried on said web.

- 5. An electrical socket comprising two coaxial spaced cylinders joined at their upper ends by an integral, ring, the outer cylinder extending axially below the lower end of the inner cylinder, an insulating disc in the outer cylinder extending across the end of the inner cylinder, the outer cylinder at circumferential points below the lower end of the inner cylinder being crimped around said insulating disc, the disc having a series of holes arrannged in a circle coaxial with and smaller in diameter than said inner cylinder, and female contactors in said holes.

6. An electrical socket comprising two coaxial spaced cylinders Joined at their upper ends by an integral ring, an insulating disc extending across the lower ends of said cylinders, the outer cylinder being folded at circumferential points below the, lower end of the inner cylinder around the peripheral portion of said disc to rigidly secure said disc therein, a plurality of female contactors arranged in a circle coaxial with and inside said inner cylinder, said contactors being insulatingly supported on said disc.

. KENNETH M. McLAUGI-ILIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES- PA'I'ENTS 

